Fred Ayres, M.D.
He/Him
I was born and raised near Detroit, MI. I attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, where I studied neuroscience, economics, and civic engagement. In college, I coordinated volunteer programs to mitigate hunger and homelessness in marginalized populations and oversaw biannual Oxfam Hunger Banquets. I spent my summers during undergrad engaged in health policy on Capitol Hill, providing public health outreach in Andean Peru, and researching means to increase Medicaid uptake. I also studied the reward pathways underpinning obesogenic behavior, taught fitness classes as my alter ego “Frizzly,” and ran a ride-share service called “FRUBER.”
After an AmeriCorps service year teaching elementary students in Detroit, I attended the University of Michigan Medical School. At Michigan, I continued to engage my interests in public health and medical education through efforts to deliver direct health care to unhoused patients, increase access to educational materials among disadvantaged medical students, and improve disability accommodation policies.
After beginning residency training in anesthesiology and working in a variety of acute and critical care settings, I realized that my true calling lies in preventative medicine and forming longitudinal relationships with a diverse range of patients. I am overjoyed to join UConn’s Family Medicine residency program given its curricular emphasis on lifestyle medicine, serving marginalized populations, and training well-rounded primary care physicians and hospitalists. As a clinician, I aim to primarily focus on better preventing and mitigating atherosclerotic disease, diabetes, and obesity through health behavior modification.
In my free time, I enjoy training for and running marathons, strength training, reading murder mysteries, cooking vegan meals, and writing pieces about health and philosophy for my blog.
Lubna Farooqui, M.D.
She/Her
I was born in Massachusetts and lived the majority of my life in Connecticut. I graduated from Quinnipiac University with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and minors in Immunology/Microbiology, Chemistry, and Global Public Health. I was also one of the Global Engagement Fellows and got to Oxford for the Human Rights Consortium. This is where my interest in public health, advocacy, and teaching began. During my time at University of Connecticut School of Medicine, I was involved with advocacy and mentoring through SNMA, AMA, and FMIG. I was able to further explore my interest in teaching by creating and moderating a learning session on ethical research for first year medical students and serving as a 4th year preceptor at a Family Medicine clinic. I found myself going through my third year of medical school liking a little bit of all the specialties medicine has to offer and loving being able to develop meaningful and lasting relationships with my patients and their families, and Family Medicine allows me to enjoy both of those things and so much more!
In my free time you can find me playing card or board games with family and friends, hiking on weekends (nothing too crazy though!), and doing yoga outdoors in the summer. I’ve recently become more interested in cooking and trying new recipes (and I think may have perfected the perfect chocolate chip cookie). I am so happy to be at UConn for my Family Medicine Residency and look forward to what the future holds!
Mary Garside, D.O.
She/Her
I was born in Providence, RI, and raised in Windham, NH, a small town in the southern part of the State. In college, I attended Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. where I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience and a Minor in Psychology and Chemistry. In undergraduate, I spent much of my time mentoring pre-med students as well as children in the community. I was fortunate to volunteer in underserved local elementary schools where I gained insight into everyday hardships some children endure, which sparked my interest in preventative medicine in pediatrics.
I went on to attend the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, ME. In medical school, I continued to spend time working with children by volunteering at local schools and the Ronald McDonald House. My interests grew to include women’s health, infant care, adolescent medicine, and mental health awareness. I realized my passions in medicine spanned across all topics and included all ages, genders, and walks of life. Family medicine became the specialty that encompassed all I love in medicine, and it brings a unique ability to establish life-long relationships with patients.
In my free time, I like going on runs outside and spending time at the lake with my family. I also enjoy traveling to new places and discovering new restaurants and coffee shops with my fiancé! We love hosting game nights and BBQ’s as well as playing with our cute cat, Teega! I am so excited to train at UConn and I look forward to taking care of my future patients in this wonderful area!
Zaenia Jeffrey, M.D.
She/Her
I was born and grew up on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Grenada. Small island living comes with a unique experience of closeness and community. My neighbors were like my immediate family, and we treated each other as such. This sense of communal living initiated my interest and passion for community health.
I earned both my Bachelor of Science in Biology and my medical degree from St. George’s University. Being steeped in the principles of closeness and community, volunteerism has always been important to me. During my medical education I volunteered at different clinics, with groups at St. George’s University and with members of the hospital where I completed clinical rotations in the U.S. These rich experiences allowed me to meet, interact and bond with members of the community in such a special way.
When choosing a medical specialty, I reflected on the things I enjoy most about medicine. I enjoy interacting with diverse groups of people, the outpatient setting, and having the ability to treat and manage the variety of ailments that walked through the door. I am passionate about preventative medicine, forming long-term relationships and patient advocacy. Family medicine was my best bet at extracting all those elements and more. Family Medicine was my perfect match.
In my free time, I really enjoy writing poetry and looking at sports (namely cricket and basketball). I value spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy having a good laugh; I believe that’s why I am so good at telling jokes. In fact, I tell the funniest jokes because even when no one else laughs at them, I will.
Siva Aswini Kumaravelu, D.O.
She/Her
Sumeet Saini, M.D.
He/His
I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where I also completed a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. Upon completing my bachelor’s degree, I attended Saba University School of Medicine in the Caribbean Netherlands. During my medical education I had the opportunity to reside on the small island of Saba with a population of only about 2000 people. Saba was my home for two years as I completed my basic sciences portion of medical school. During my clinical years I traveled to various states, which exposed me to a wide array of patient populations while learning from the most experienced physicians. It is through these latter two years of my medical training that I saw how Family Medicine was the perfect residency for me.
I am an individual who aspires to be a jack of all trades which speaks to my wide variety of interests and hobbies. I’m an avid automotive enthusiast and of Formula-1 Racing, I also enjoy physical training, playing recreational sports, learning new skills and embarking on various DIY projects. Central to my interests is problem-solving, a skill I continue to train, improve and employ as I take work through my residency training with this Family Medicine Residency. It is for this reason that I was drawn to the specialty of Family Medicine where I could work with the most diverse patient populations, form long standing relationships with my patients in their pursuit for their health-related goals and needs. I am excited to embark on the next chapter of my career.
Cordelia (Cordy) Stewart, M.D.
She/Her
Originally from Bangor, Maine, I grew up in a loving, large family that instilled in me the values of community and compassion for others. As a student-athlete at Bowdoin College, I pursued a double major in Hispanic Studies and Biochemistry before attending Tufts University School of Medicine. While at Tufts, I participated in the Maine Track program, where I honed my skills in caring for medically underserved and rural populations. My passion for family medicine grew as I engaged with diverse communities throughout New England, which I am excited to now bring to Connecticut.
In addition to my medical pursuits, I have been actively involved with a non-profit organization, Water for ME, focusing on community outreach, education, and water quality research. Through collaboration with local and international teams in Honduras, Colombia, and Haiti, our organization works to improve access to clean drinking water. My medical interests include sports medicine, medical education, and the role water quality and nutrition play as social determinants of health. I am excited to join UConn’s Family Medicine program for its focus on global health, sports medicine, and culture of teamwork.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy various forms of being active by exercising, spending time outdoors, and cherishing moments with family and friends. And if there are dogs involved, it's even better!